Protea King Bouquets Designed by Mel

We walk a shrewd line when it comes to creating a ‘one-of-a-kind’ King Bouquet: not only are kings totally striking on their own, but they look particularly intriguing when mixed in a bouquet. The large central dome that’s surrounded by spiky bracts with a smooth, velvety texture certainly begs a second look. The extraordinary shape of the bracts or petals gives the bloom a regal, crown-like appearance… it’s an oversized statement flower that looks absolutely fabulous in bouquets.

Captivated by the king? Well, when an occasion calls for a little extra ‘king-power’ here on the farm, we step back and call in our favorite flower-farmer-florist, Mel. His idea of designing a bouquet is basically like planning a meal: once he decides on the main course, the side dishes fall into place. When it comes to his king bouquets, the king or kings obviously take center stage as their color and texture make each bouquet come to life.

In case you don’t have a passionate protea farmer on-hand to whip up a few king bouquets to feast your eyes on, we asked Mel to share some of his recent favorites.

Designed by Mel

We walk a prudent line when it comes to creating a ‘one-of-a-kind’ bouquet: too blasé and the bouquet can start to look like a mound of mis-matched proteas. Too planned and it ends up looking like a dull cookie-cutter Biedermeier. So, when an occasion calls for a little extra protea power, we step back and call in our favorite flower-farmer-florist, Mel. But in case you don’t have a passionate farmer to count on, we asked Mel to share some tips for creating one of his special protea bouquets.

“I think of designing a bouquet like planning a meal: once I decide on the main course, the side dishes fall into place. For this bouquet, the dramatic protea Arctic Ice took center stage. The most important thing to me is color and texture, as they immediately make a bouquet come to life. The King was an easy starting point, so I just played off of those fabulous, white, spikey bracts,” says Mel.

Whether you’re using flowers you purchased at your local market, a farmer’s market or clipping from your own garden, simply look for a few different varieties that go nicely together while creating contrast. In addition to the beautiful white King, this bouquet includes orange Banksia, red Leucospermum, silver-cone Leucadendron galpinii, lavender and white waxflower, woolly bush, boxwood, Grevillea and chocolate Agonis foliage.

“If you select your stems wisely, they’ll give you some hints when it comes time to put everything together. I let the flowers do most of the work for me and allow them to fall into place as I slowly twist and turn the bouquet. If you have an open mind and allow the bouquet to progress naturally, it will ultimately look much more spontaneous,” says Mel.

Field to Vase: San Diego Zoo Safari Park

ENVISION YOURSELF… following a backcountry road shaded by eucalyptus trees, with brilliant red bottlebrush blooms waving to you in the breeze. Follow the path of the roo as you are transported Down Under to walk among kangaroos, wallabies and more—this is San Diego Zoo Safari Park Walkabout Australia!

On Memorial Day weekend, the Safari Park will open the new Walkabout Australia habitat, a lushly landscaped walk-through exhibit where visitors can see up close — and in some cases, touch — several species native to the land Down Under. They include Western gray kangaroos, red-necked wallabies, Southern cassowaries, Matschie’s tree kangaroos and magpie geese, as well as native Australian plants.

The Safari Park hosted a special dinner prior to the opening day to commemorate the new habitat and they needed 25 centerpieces to go with the decor. The horticulture staff at the park recommended the event staff contact Resendiz Brothers for the flowers. We were excited to be able to use an assortment of beautiful protea and Australian native flowers and foliage to create the perfect arrangements for the occasion.

To learn more - click here.

Instagram: Photos We Dig

Ten fabulous photos featuring images by Peninsula Wild Flower, a flower-farmer florist located on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Australia. Peninsula Wild Flowers supplies locally grown native flowers to Florists and Farmers Markets, as well as does Weddings, special events and holds seasonal design classes.

San Diego Grown Dinner 365

There’s really no way better to celebrate summer’s last harvest than enjoying a exquisite farm-to-table dinner straight from the source: The San Diego Grown Dinner – Hosted by the Farmers and Ranchers of San Diego County. And, that is just what we did!

On Sunday, September 20th, Chef Jeff Rossman, owner of Terra American Bistro, and a talented team of culinary arts students from Grossmont College served over 175 guests a specatular farm-to-table dinner at Stehly Farms Organics in Valley Center. Upon arrival, guests were greeted by Chef Jeff as they sampled savory appetizers from the Slider, Crostini and Soup Bars.

Our Flower Farmer Florist Mel Resendiz added some festive flare to the dinner by designing a gorgeous arrangement and wreath for display. And together we created 26 arrangements that garnished the tables and hors d’ oeuvre stations. Kudos to Mellano & Co. and Weidners Gardens for donating some of the floral gems that were added to the seasonal recipe.

Everyone mingled throughout the dinner, enjoying the delicious locally grown food and wine. There’s definitely something special about eating a scrumptious meal in a stunning outdoor setting.

The Farmers and Ranchers of San Diego County along with Chef Jeff and his team created an amazing menu that left all the guests feeling like they had just eaten at a Five Star restaurant.

Here’s a peek at the menu:

This celebration of locally grown didn’t end with dessert. A unique box of San Diego Grown goodies was presented to the guests to take home and enjoy with their families.

Cheers to a bountiful harvest!